When Does Ramadan 2019 End? Eid Al-Fitr Date, Moon Sighting

Muslims around the world are preparing to end the long fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr, which means “festival of breaking the fast,” falls on different dates in different countries depending on the moon sighting.

This year, Eid al-Fitr will either start on June 4 or June 5. Some Muslims wait to see the moon themselves before marking Eid al-Fitr, while others use the calculated time of the new moon, or base it on the declaration made in Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

Most Western countries take astronomical calculations into account and set their dates for Eid ahead of time. The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) follows guidance from the Fiqh Council of North America, which relies on astronomical calculations of the moon sighting in Mecca, the city in Saudi Arabia that is considered the birthplace of Islam.

"The Astronomical New Moon is on Monday, June 3, 2019 at 10:03 Universal Time. On that day, near Miami, Florida at sunset the elongation is 8 degrees and moon is 5 degrees above the sun. Therefore first day of Shawwal 1440 is on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, insha'Allah," a message from the Fiqh Council of North America reads on its website.

African countries like Libya and Algeria are also expected to celebrate the first day of Eid on June 4, given they are able to view the moon. Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will celebrate Eid al-Fitr on June 5 as they began their Ramadan fast a day later than the rest of the world.

After a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset, Muslims celebrate Eid with massive family feasts and prayers. In most Muslim countries, the three days of Eid are observed as public and school holidays. However, this is not the case in the U.S.

Typical greetings during the Eid holiday include "Eid Mubarak" which means "Blessed Eid" while another happens to be "Eid Said" which means "Happy Eid." Other greetings include Ciid wanaagsan (Somalia), Mutlu Bayramlar (Turkey), Selamat Idul Fitri (Indonesia), Selamat Hari Raya (Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore) and Barka da Sallah (Nigeria).